Who here supports marijuana legalization, but doesn't want to use it?

[Lady_Foxfire]

There's been a lot of discussion about marijuana legalization recently, and it seems to me that a lot of people who are in favor of it either are pot smokers, or would smoke pot if it were legal.

I'm completely in favor of pot legalization; it's objectively safer than alcohol and tobacco, it doesn't affect your ability to be a contributing member of society (unless you're arrested for it), and the "war on drugs" is an inefficient, expensive, and morally indefensible mess.

The thing is, even if it were made legal in Michigan, I would never, ever use pot, for most of the same reasons I don't smoke. (expensive habit, addictive, smells gross, family history of lung cancer, etc.) So I was wondering, is there anyone else who is in favor of pot legalization for the good of society despite their own personal opinions of it, or am I the only one?

[Duelist925]

Me. I dont smoke or drink now, I've tried pot once when I was a teen...just didn't see the appeal. But yeah, its safer than booze, and there is no real reason to ban it and not tobacco. legalize it, tax it. Help lower crime rates.

[Andara Bledin]

I don't smoke. Or smoke that. Or drink. I'm actually incredibly vanilla.

But I strongly support legalization, due to the lack of danger in the act (as compared to other legal alternatives), the health benefits, and potential for revenue, and the fact that the only people who benefit from keeping it illegal are criminals (and possibly the competition).

^-.-^

[Nekojin]

Andara's thoughts mirror mine. I don't go for altered states of perception for myself, but I don't really see a problem with allowing others to do what they want with their bodies, so long as they're not hurting others and know what they're getting into.

Compared to alcohol and cigarettes, marijuana's closest rivals, marijuana is downright benign.

[violiav]

Im for it. That is to say, i dont think it should be left to the Fed to decide what to and what not to regulate. I think it should be left up to the states and counties, like with booze (there are plenty of dry counties in Texas). I probably wouldn't myself because I've never smoked pot before. But if it were decriminalized (and employers didn't test for it) I would feel comfortable trying it in social situations. but it's not something I would seek out.

[Greenday]

Marijuana is relatively harmless enough that I don't think the police need to be wasting time and resources arresting people for getting high. There's much more important shit to worry about.

And no I don't smoke.

[Shadowen]

Add another voice for legalization here.

I very rarely drink, I don't smoke, and the only times I've tried pot, it was as unwilling second hand effects. (Open window, neighbour in next apartment smoking with windows open, too hot to close my windows, etc)

I am near an area in BC known for growing weed, and would love to see all the money from that recorded and legally taxed.
Plus it would be nice to not have the cops busting down the door because they got the address wrong.

[Panacea]

Marijuana is relatively harmless enough that I don't think the police need to be wasting time and resources arresting people for getting high. There's much more important shit to worry about.

And no I don't smoke.

Marijuana isn't completely harmless. It is known to cause problems with the vital brain development that occurs in adolescence and early adulthood.

Once that brain development is complete it is fairly safe, certainly much safer than alcohol.

To answer the question, I would not use pot if it were legal but I support legalizing it for a variety of reasons:

1. It is well known to be an effective pain killer, nausea reducer, and appetite enhancer. It also reduces intraocular pressure (which is why glaucoma patients take it).

2. Criminalizing it contributes to crime on a variety of levels; filling up jails with non-violent offenders who become desensitized to violence in the harsh conditions of jail/prison living. It also supports the lifestyles of murderous thugs in other countries.

3. The plant provides other useful products besides the drug itself. The remaining plant matter makes great paper, great cloth, and great rope.

4. We're leaving a substantial tax revenue source off the table by keeping it illegal.

I don't encourage the smoking of the product. Smoking it creates the same risks as smoking tobacco. It can be nebulized or eaten.

[bex1218]

1. It is well known to be an effective pain killer, nausea reducer, and appetite enhancer. It also reduces intraocular pressure (which is why glaucoma patients take it).

I know the thread said people who won't use it, but I wish it was legal for this reason. I suffer from migraines and also get motion sickness. Only thing that really helps with very little side affects on me. But it varies by how its grown and the person.


I know people who don't smoke it but support it being legalized. Its only a matter of time.

[Mytical]

I am/have been about as 'vanilla' as you can get my whole life. No drinking, chewing or smoking tobacco, no cursing (except when I am REALLY angry, when I start cursing the people around me start running for the hills ). The only people who benefit from marijuana being illegal are the cartels and criminals. Which is why legalizing it will be a great uphill battle. They will pump BILLIONS into fighting it, because they will loose the billions a year that the illegalization keeps in their pockets.

[Akasa]

I'm actually allergic to it. I get flu like symptoms when exposed to the smoke, but I would be for legalizing it. My best friend is allergic to ALL nausea medications. She has a condition that causes her to vomit a lot. Weed is the ONLY thing that she can take that will stop it. Fortunately it's legal to have it medicinally in HI.

I think it should be legal for recreation too. pot smokers are less violent than drinkers, you never hear of a brawl between a bunch of people high on pot like you do bar brawls. It could be a good source of income if taxed.

[Gravekeeper]

Don't drink, don't smoke, would like to see it legalized. I have no intention of using it myself. But it being criminal is pretty silly at this point. Its no worse than alcohol, it'd be another revenue stream for the government and government regulation would ensure a safe supply. It's already decrimilized in small amounts up here in BC.

For the US especially though, decrimilization it would save the country something like fscking 8 billion a year if I remember right. Because you'd no longer be tying up the courts and locking up people left right and center for having 2 ounces of weed on them.

[Mytical]

Don't forget the sells tax income it would further bring in GK. Reduce spending AND bringing more money in? Yes please.

[Eisa]

I don't smoke it, and have no desire to smoke it. (And in fact have discovered from other people having it around me that the smoke gives me a migraine and makes me feel horribly ill. So definitely have ZERO desire to try it. )

But yes, I support legalizing it. For several reasons, but mainly what GK said. It's stupid how much of the legal system is tied up in "oh noes that person had two ounces of pot!" when it...shouldn't be that big of a deal. Legalizing it gets rid of all that shit.

[EricKei]

The one issue I see with legalizing the stuff that many proponents don't seem to understand (especially younger ones -- no offense intended if you fall into that category) is that, laws in states like California (limited legalization) or Washington (more or less(??) blanket legal) are effectively not worth the paper that they're written on until it gets legalized at the national level. State and local laws cannot override Federal ones, though that is another Fratch for another day.

The main points of these "legalization" laws getting passed are really just (a) to try and get more votes from a sympathetic voter base, and (b) to free up the local cops from doing quite so many pot busts. If the feds show up -- even in Washington -- and ask the local guys for help on a pot bust, I can pretty much guarantee that they'll get it. It's still a Scheduled substance on the Federal level, and that's where change needs to happen first, if it is to happen at all.

On a side note, you just know that the first thing that will happen if it does get truly legalized is that bootleg (read: untaxed) marijuana grows and shops will proliferate even farther than they have already, along the scale of moonshine, if not more so.

I don't smoke. Or smoke that. Or drink. I'm actually incredibly vanilla.

But I strongly support legalization
<snip>

Pretty much this. Teetotaller here, I have never, uhm, partaken, and I never intend to. I slung enough pizzas in my day to know very well what the stuff smells like ...I would describe it as "nasty, dirty sweat socks". Then again, that could just have been the clientele ^_^ It just doesn't appeal to me personally, but, to each his or her own. If you're somewhere it's legal and you're of age, go for it, but do it responsibly, as you would with alcohol or cigs.

Marijuana isn't completely harmless.
...
I don't encourage the smoking of the product. Smoking it creates the same risks as smoking tobacco. It can be nebulized or eaten.

But I also agree with this. I would say that it's marginally "harmless" in the sense that it's less lethal than the "hard" drugs, but I would put it on the same level as strong tobacco or booze.